LES DARCY DISAPPEARS

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15751, 18 November 1916, Page 11

LES DARCY DISAPPEARS

A SENSATIONAL CASE. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) SYDNEY, November 17. Recently, on the eve of attaining military age, the boxer Les Darcy disappeared, and has since been missing. Yesterday amongst the luggage belonging to a passenger departing by an American steamer two letters were found addressed to Darey, one bearing the pencilled signature of a well-known sportsman. The passenger and luggage were taken ashore. Proceedings will bo taken under the "War Precautions Act.

During tlic last week of October the rumour spread in Sydney that Les Darcy was missing. He disappeared quite unaccountably, and all trace of him up to a particular point had been completely lost. It was announced in the Sydney "Hcferee" of November Ist that Mr "Snowy" Baker had endeavoured to get into touch with Darcy on the previous Friday, and failed to locate him. Mr Baker was nonplussed. and all he could say "was that a man had assured him that he had seen Lcs Darey off by a boat from Newcastle that morning, and that Mr W. F. Corbett had gone as his manager to America. So far as Mr Corbett was concerned this was incorrect, for lie was and lias since been in Sydney. In last week's Sydney "Referee" Mr Corbett, referring to the disappearance of the Australian boxer, said: "Darcy called at my room on Wednesday or Thursday (October 25tli or 26th) morning, and left word with me to the effect that there was no foundation whatever for the report that be proposed leaving clandestinely 'for America, and there should not have been. Ho might have gone away under a bond such as that said to have been provided by Charlie Simpson and his trainer M. Daly, of Melbourne. Darcy also desired tna,t 1 should be told lie would not be 21 years of age till October 31st, thouph the record books stated that he would reach that important stage of his life on October 28th—the day of the referendum vote being taken.?' Darcy also visit®! Mr Baker at the Stadium on the Wednesday (October 2oth) and told him what lie had wished should be conveyed to me, and also fixed up the matter of his expenses to Melbourne, while mentioning that he proposed catching the express on the following Sunday night; but, adds Mr Corbett, "ere that day arrived he was a long distance off this continent on the broad bosom of the great old Pacific, heading for Vladivostok."